WITH two weeks to go before the end of the matric examinations, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for education Senzo Mchunu is happy that everything is going well with the exams that end on December 4.

Mchunu yesterday paid a surprise visit to two schools in the Pinetown district, where candidates were writing Life Science Paper 2.

Mchunu visited Sithengile Senior Secondary in Clermont and Mariannridge Secondary, where he said he was extremely happy with the progress.

He said he was impressed with what he saw at Sithengile Secondary School, where the exams started on time.

"It's encouraging. The principal is a hard-worker, and there are things he initiated that we as the department would have to help finalise.

"There are, however, a few challenges that we will have to deal with.

"The school laboratory is there, which is a practical room for pupils.

"The school is also offering maritime subjects, which is good for comprehensive learning," Mchunu said.

Mchunu promised that the department was going to look at the issue of security at the school.

He was responding to school principal Mlungisi Thusi's concern that there was no security guard at the school.

Mchunu said the issue of security posed a serious challenge to the province.

"On the matter of security, the problem is that we have 6000 schools in the province, and it is necessary for us to look at how the schools are provided with security guards," he said.

Thusi, whose school has 210 matriculants, said he was aiming for a 95 percent pass rate.

"Last year we managed 89 percent but this year we are aiming for 95 percent," he said.

"A 100 percent pass rate would be a bonus but we have worked hard the whole year and hope to achieve our target."